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Friday, 8 August 2014

Showcasing My Realm of Chaos Armies for the Oldhammer Weekend

With the packing complete, all I have left to do is write up the armylists Stuart and I will be using in our Realm of Chaos game. I am planning on including as many models as possible, but it will ultimately depend on balance. I don't want one force more powerful than the other so we have a fair game. Personally, unbalanced games are neither thrilling nor rewarding to play. Though, of course, balance isn't really the point of a RoC game. As you can see, my new wargames table is just the right size to accommodate forces of this size, though its plain to see why next year's board will need to be twice this size!

In preparing these shots, its was the first time I had actually fielded everything from the Khorne and Slaanesh armies at once and the sight was indeed satisfying. One questions I get asked a lot is 'how long did it take to collect and paint two old school armies'? Well, I worked on the two armies here and there over period of about three years. At the basis of both armies are the small warbands that Dan and I used during our Realm of Chaos campaign in 2010-11. Back then, we had about twelve models a side. Now, the armies consist of much larger numbers. The Khorne army has about sixty models in it while the Slaanesh one has about forty.

I am so pleased with the 'look' of my board that I shall be using exactly the same method and resources to build by larger table next year. With this in mind, I shall at some point start adding flock and grass to my miniature bases to help things blend in a little better. Not that its a huge problem, as you can see the old school style of basing I use fits in perfectly with the board at the moment.

One thing I am in two mind about is the use of gradients on a wargaming table. The slight hills I build using polystyrene and plaster look great but can be a bit annoying when it come to ranking up models. I will have to play a few games before deciding whether or not to include such things next year.

Onwards anyway, this blog is not about my wonderful new wargaming table but about the models themselves. What will follow is a comprehensive look at each of the units I intend to use in the game tomorrow. Let's start off with Slaanesh shall we!

Slake-Sin's Throng of Exquisite Pleasure

Slake-Sin and his honour guard. His seer, Jesterspite, can be seen to the left.

Slake-Sin lie span twists back before the founding of the Empire. Born an elf, he found himself loathing the subtle ways of his people and found joy in the hedonistic pleasure cults that existed openly in Elven culture in those days. Eventually, his desire for sensation lead him to the Northern Wastes were he learnt to serve a new master, Slaanesh. Serving in the Court of the Twisted Sodomite for millennia, Slake-Sin fought in the aeon long struggles that rage in the Realm of Chaos, caring little for the candleflame lives of mortals in the world to the South. This has changed in recent years, with his patron concerned about the influence a major rival of his is having over the Khornate champion, Ulthur Deathfist. Slake-Sin has been ordered south in pursuit of the Deathfist, and to end his reign of slaughter.

Slake-Sin is armed with a flail and is a level 20 sorcerer to boot. He is fielded alongside 9 of his most decadent Chaos warriors and marches beneath his magical banner.

To his left can be seen one of his chaos sorcerers, the level 15 sorcerer, Jesterspite, Slake-Sin's personal valet and seer.

Bullnip the Wailing leads his centaur followers. These troops act as Slake-Sin's advance guard and scouts, bringing his information about his enemies. They ride ahead and torture those they find in the most depraved and hideous fashion.

Veteran of his Realm of Chaos campaigns, these centaur have followed Slake-Sin for many years. Originally a great herb, but endless combat has whithered their numbers to a mere five. Insane and violent, these creatures exist solely to destroy their hated foe - followers of Khorne! They are lead by their champion, Bullnip the Wailing.

Susak Lee's Slaves to Sensation- a chaos thug unit ten strong.

Susak Lee began life in Cathay. After a long career as a pirate around the Oriental coasts he fell beneath the sway of Slaanesh. Converting his crew to view his inhuman delights as the only true way of serving any god, they set sail to the North and found themselves involved in the skirmishing that rages between warbands around the boarders of the Realm of Chaos. Not long in the service of Slake-Sin, Susak Lee's original champion was Slain by Jesterspite during a small battle in Troll country. With the champion dead the carnage ceased, and Slake-Sin's seer offered Susak and his followers a position in their force. Armed with a magical weapon, Susak is a Level 10 champion.

To the left, Balndidir can be seen. She has worked tirelessly as Slake-Sin's agent among the people and lands of Empire, and his been instrumental in located the Deathfist. She lost a large part of his warband during a recent skirmish with Grimgrunt, the Deathfist's second in command, and has subsequently slipped down the rankings. She is still a powerful sorcerer, though somewhere inside her soul she suspects that she is on the slow decline of spawnhood. This is something he hopes to chaneg in the coming battle. If Slake-Sin won't notice here, then she will make sure her patron will!

Much of Slake-Sin's force is made of of beastmen, most of which have marched with him from the Realm of Chaos. Slitherlimb, one of Slake-Sin's lesser champions, has been rewarded with charge of their lustful filthy ways.

Sliktherlimb is one of those champions content to serve another, happy to accept the scraps or treasures that are passed down to loyal followers. He leads the large beastmen unit of 15 souls against the enemies of Slake-Sin. Level 15 and armed with a magical weapon, he sings of the joy of killing the hated foe. The unit is armed with a magical banner.

Throgg the troll, lurks to the right of this unit. A longstanding follower of Slake-Sin and a member of his force since the very early days. Utter and totally stupid, but devoted to his master and the pleasures he offers.

Jaketh. Sorcerer for pay. He delights in gathering chaos items and exploiting them for his own advancement.

Jaketh is a level 20 sorcerer and in pay of Slake-Sin. Though devoted to the power that chaos can provide, Jaketh worships chaos as a whole and cares little for the whims of individual powers. He is happy to serve all, as long as the price is right, and brings with him considerable knowledge of the monsters that lurk in the dark forests. he has gone as far as to bewitch one of the giant spiders that live in the Forest of Shadows to serve his paymaster's needs.

Grubshat. The ensorcelled giant spider.

Grubshat is a giant spider. Jesterspite discovered this beast wounded near the Old Forest Road after it had been hunted by goblins. Healing it with perverse magic, the spider now blindly followers it master, chittering happily when ever there is flesh to be rendered from bone.

Gluttonspoor and his minotaurs. Fickle in their allegiance, these beasts could easily end up on either side. For now, they serve Slake-Sin, as long a fresh meat is provided daily.

Finally, Guttonspoor and his minotaur killers. Like Jaketh, this beast of chaos fight for money and do not care which God they align themselves too. Having fought for and against all the major powers over these years, this terrifying beasts could even switch sides mid battle to best suit their depraved needs.

The Host of Ulthur Deathfist

The Deathfist and his chaos retinue. Level 25 and armed with a chaos weapon and a magical axe that can destroy undead, he is a fearsome sight. Expect to see this unit in the thick of the action.

The Deathfist is feared across the forests and scrublands of the Old World. The most successful chaos leader in one hundred years is slowly building his influence, having spent the best part of three years fighting against rivals within the chaotic community. Shamed by his defeat by the undead, Ulthar hates all undead creatures with a passion, though his hate of the feeble minded followers of Slaanesh runs deeper still. Ulthur has little interest in reaving souls amongst the weak mortal humans and elves that live around his area of operations, preferring the challenge of his own kind. He plans to crush Slke-Sin once and for all, before marching north to carve himself a kingdom in the Chaos Wastes.

Chaos marauders and Chaos thugs. The units are unnamed but are lead by Ulthur's up and coming champions. Axelicker the Bound leads the thugs, while Jon Flamehaired leads the marauders. Both are dangerous fighters. and level 15.

Following a strict heirarchy, the youngest warriors must serve amongst the thug units in his retinue. Once they have proved their worth they move up into the heavily armoured ranks of the Marauders. The lifespan of these fighters is often short and brutal, but the glory in violence which they aspire to is welcome reward. Ulthur hopes to expand on this units in future and is always on the look out for magical artefacts to construct banners for his followers.

Brune, a level 15 champion, and a veteran of many skirmishes.

Few beastmen remain in the Deathfist's ranks. The psychopathic rage these creatures display is almost suicidal and they live only to bath themselves in the blood of their enemies in the service of Khorne. Their leader, Brune, is the sole remaining beastman from Blandidir's host.

Ubba Axesplit in his chariot, a gift from his brother. Borak Splinteraxe looms on the right. His orders are to maintain the chariot and preserve the missile units.

Borak Splinteraxe is a successful chaos champion in his own right, but like all dwarfs seek a lord to serve. Borak brings with him ranks of missile weapons and maintains the chaos chariot bequeathed to Ulthur's brother, the vile Ubba Axesplit. He has his own retinue of chaos warriors. More thoughtful than meany of his companions, the dwarfs serve Ulthur to serve themselves. One day a stronger more successful lord may arise, and on that day Borak will depart and make a new contract in chaos.

Ulthur is no fool and knows from experience that the magical fire his forces take needs to be countered. Hence he has employed a unit of dwarf projectile weapons. Their targets will be lightly armoured throops and wizards. The bazooka team also specialises in taking down gigantic creatures.

Borak's Meatmanglers are a crack unit of projectile specialists. They prefer to kill at a distance and delight in the carnage they can create. Two small a unit to make a difference in the battle line, this troops have often been battlewinners for Ulthur. If faced by overwhelming odds, Borak will retreat. In his view, Khorne can be better served by fighting another day than dying needlessly.

The World Famous mange is lead to battle by Ogpog from the East.

Finally, Ogpog of Mourngal, Ulthur's beastmaster. he is in charge of the chaos hounds, including Ulthur's beloved hound, Mange. This hobgoblin from the far east, specialises in finding gaps in the enemy line for his dogs to exploit. Creeping around the enemy's flanks is another favourite of this creature.

Well, there you have it....

I am off to finish off my armylists and ensure that Stuart and I have everything that we need for tomorrow. If you have a chaos warband and you want to join the fight, please side either with the Deathfist or Slake-Sin.

Two absolutely amazing armies... I've been magically transported back to the late eighties! The fantastic models, the exquisite paint jobs and a cracking looking 'home-made' gaming board. If I break out in acne over the weekend Orlygg it's your fault!